Charles W. & Ronita M. Sylvester Christmas Letter of 2012

January -
Jumped out in Cheyenne with Kent and Cory Rutledge. Next day back at The Farm, we had chili, a rousing Bronco game, and close friends Bill, Patty and Wilson Ogg, Margret Korzus, Brad and Shelia Barker.
Chuck rode with the 3R guys in the NW parade, thus beginning the first of many trips into Denver for Stock Show events.
Brad Paisley, along with a surprise appearance by Tim Tebow, did another 5 star performance at the Pepsi Center. Man O man we love that kid’s guitar work!
February -
Opened in Nashville where we indulged in country western music and “BEEF! It’s what’s for dinner!”
Drilling rigs rolled into our fields, set up two entire little villages, popped new gas wells, then moved out within a couple months. It’s amazing how they do that without disrupting ones fields. At one point a steady stream of semi-tractors, hauling everything from massive tanks, trailers and earthmovers to manure, veggies and cattle passed our home. We know President Obama and his followers hate domestic resource providers, but each time I had to duck a truck, I felt good knowing they were bringing useful supplies of fuel and food to fellow Americans.
We availed “My Mojito” (office) for meetings with Senior South Platte water users to try and figure ways to convince Junior lower users to stop stealing our water. Testifying at the capitol, having a zillion meetings and investigating the whole water shebang have become our way of going. We pray we can get truth and facts to Governor Hickenlooper (Penetrating the socialist wall around him is challenging.), before Agriculture, Colorado’s most solid economic base, crumbles in 2013.
March -
Took off for Laughlin, NV. Where Chuck’s C.S.U. Rodeo Alumni gathers annually. We bounced through Arizona in route, then took in our second family, “The Griffin’s,” in Utah on the return home. In Moab, my longtime friend Trisha Ogilvy gave me a birthday surprise of a painting she’d done of a momma cow and calf. It now decorates the area over our oven.
After suffering a grand mall seizure, son Philip is working his way back to good health. Thank God! Aside from being fun and sweet to have around, he’s our reliable and very talented “fix it, bake it and take care of it” guy around this farm.
For my 67th, Chuck gave me a 1994 Case Skid Steer. Beth Johnson named it Clyde. Soon after Barbie Tractor flashed her “bling bling” (tree pulling gold chain) at him, Clyde Case showed her how high his hydraulics could boost his front loader, and now they’re engaged. They plan to marry as soon as Barbie gets the “go ahead” from her brother “Fordie” Tractor. Fordie’s still checking out Clyde’s genealogy.
April -
Chuck bit the bullet and financed bringing Lord Christopher Monckton (man who Al Gore fears most) to address Colorado’s General Assembly at our capitol. Chuck is my hero for his ever faithful offerings of educational opportunities the public doesn’t get anywhere else.
I managed to get ol’ Christopher into a proper English stir, by getting lost while driving him to Mike Rosen’s show. We made it and Mike was gracious; but my legs wouldn’t stop quivering the whole time in the studio. This aging thing is a curious thing…ain’t it!
Fox News contributor Steve Milloy, Lord Monckton, Marna Dowling and I had a delicious time hashing over socialists and Al Gore believers until near closing time at the Brown’s Ship Tavern.
U-Tube “Monckton and Wind Energy” video son Jay Hutcheson did. It’s a dandy!
Chuck’s “Professional Trail Rider” season began with the Sombrero Ride. He loves riding with the guys (variations on the theme of 3 R), as they (the rides, not the guys) take him to far reaches he’d otherwise never get to see. And to enjoy the surroundings of magnificent scenery and jolly company on the back of a good horse, well, for him that’s heaven!
May -
The usual for Chuck? T-Bone club, 3 R Board meeting, WSG’s, Branding other people’s calves ranging at his ranches in WY, and the Rim to River Ride; a trail ride with CSO (Canyon Sleep Over). Yes. That boy actually had to sleep under the stars with his saddle as a pillow. Ouch!
The usual for me? Mow. Get haircut. Mow. Mow. Get Miss Aggie May haircut. Then mo mow.
June -
I tutored a group in Laramie, WY about the Demand To Remove letter. Now THAT was FUN! Met some terrific folks then stayed at Dallas and Vivienne Talbott’s Double Mule Shoe Cabin (Centennial) with Cheri and Cory Steinmetz. The Talbott’s fixed us up the next morning with a luscious breakfast and lively chat!
For Chuck’s 75 birthday, he gave himself a Gazebo (on our card’s cover). “Seek,” the elder male cat, took up residence there. It’s OK. Seek deserves such a cat house.
After eons of absence, I shot branding in real 35 millimeter film. Forgot how much fun that is! There’s just something about the grain, density and feel of those old kind of photos.
The best part of June, was having daughter Lea and her significant other David Lauer, move to Denver. It’s comforting for a mom to have her “little ones” near. 
July
What else? More trail rides for the now very professional trail rider Mr. Sylvester. A Shakedown ride, then the BIG ride! This ride was twofold special as it was in the Big Horn’s in Wyoming, and, Chuck’s 25th ride thus qualifying him as 3 R “Life Member.”
But first we hosted the Colorado Independent Cattlemen’s Convention at The Farm. Our kind of people! They know how to pick up a chair, run a computer, make jam, castrate a bull and ride a horse. Grand three days indeed!
August -
Chuck went back up to WY to play with other cowboys cattle. He sure likes not having to worry about weather, help, errant government employees, prices, weights, Mother Nature & equipment.
We drove up to the Wyoming State Fair, then a week later to Nebraska for Papillion High School’s all classes recognition dinner.
September -
The Good Neighbor Board (Colonel Mark Trostel, Kimmi Lewis, Dr. John Maulsby, Ken Keil, Marna Dowling and Scott Shuman) put together an informative forum of speakers including Dr. Richard Keen, Dr. Stanley Monteith, Colorado State Rep. Shawn Mitchell and Dr. Jill Vechhio.
We had September 15th picked out for our annual Bunch Quitter Soiree, but – decided that because the presidential election was likely the most important of our lifetime, it would be best to concede that date to the Good Neighbor Forum.
We flew down to Oklahoma city for the inductions of friends of Chuck’s into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It was so fun visiting with our longtime friend Chuck Schroeder, TX buddy John Wroten, and recent C.S.U. Veterinarian grad Dr. Molly Murphree. Molly’s like a daughter to us. We’re just plain out right proud of her accomplishments! Any who choses her to be their vet will be putting their animal in great care.
Range Rover, the famous A-rab horse that we blame for “putting us together,” died peacefully in tall grass surrounded by his equine buddies. Lea’s dad bought Range Rover for her when both were just pups; she 12, and he 2 months. Everyone loved Range Rover. Cowboy broke by the Griffin’s, he gave many humans 23 years of his honest friendship.
October -
By September’s end, Chuck was positioned at the Circle Bar, ready to enjoy the company of his Elk & Antelope hunting buddies! These past years, Chuck’s pretty much replaced his gun and hunting for his “Crown” and grunting.
While Chuck was drinking and stinking in Wyoming, I drove back to Nebraska for my 50th Papillion H.S. reunion. Being with folks who’ve known me since we strung beads together in the church nursery, I immediately reverted back to being a goofy chatterbox farm girl!
A big treat was an up close and personal listening and viewing session with Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Congressman Paul Ryan and Gov. Mitt Romney. Present were too many more great Americans to name. We see God’s blessings through individuals like Romney; for what they sacrifice to make America strong is immeasurable.
If only one-half of America’s populace would sacrifice a fraction of what our soldiers and individuals like Romney, Jindal, Ryan and Rubio do, America could be great again.
November -
The Southern Colorado Cattlemen’s held their annual Ball in Trinidad. This was probably about the fifth or so time we’ve attended. The reason we do this is simple; we LIKE these Cowboys and Cowgirls. They’re the salt of the earth. Ever so bunged up by a rank bull, Mother Nature or government, they still dance with their boots and chuckles on.
We drove up to Laramie again where I spoke to the Laramie Tea Party on “What constitutes property.” Seems most of us don’t know what’s ours and what’s government; and therein lays America’s biggest problem. As Doris Williams says, “If you have guts enough to own property, you better have guts enough to protect it!”
Ollie and Joyce Hill were kind enough to put up with these two old farmers for the night.
Mid November we spent three days in Denver as Weld County Delegates at the Colorado Farm Bureau convention. Talk about talk abouts! Hunts for anything remotely related to our Constitutions came up empty. Don’t remember the last time we were so doggone frustrated!
We capped off our Denver stay, with the breathtaking performance by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Now those kids have talent! Gees! Chuck loves this group, and was therefore the one to put on my desk months ago, “buy tix!” Yup! We were close enough (12 rows back in the middle) to feel…really feel the heat of the pyro and drips of sweat from the over hovering violinist.
Then, good sport that he is, Chuck donned 3D glasses and hunkered down with a whole theater row of us to watch Denver’s premiere of “The Life of Pi.” Lea’s boyfriend David Lauer was co-advisor over about 150 techies who did the special “visual” affects for Pi. We’re so proud of David! If you haven’t seen Pi – do!
Thanksgiving, we hosted about 40 family and friends. A succulent spread of yams, corn pudding, beet salad, potato casserole, Scalloped Oysters, Honey baked ham, Scott Callender deep fat fried Turkey, Kyle Miller smoked Turkey, Philip and Beth’s Wild Rice with Cashews, Geni’s homemade bread, Dave Callender’s Green Bean casserole, pies galore and more, teased our taste buds like many naughty temptresses.
With Red Wagon pulled by Fordie, Chuck gave everyone a ride along our river trail.
In addition to the usual doc appts, meetings, farm, yard and dirt work, interspersed throughout the year were heart breaking engagements with politicals and attorneys. Trying to resolve man-made disasters with water, property title and excess feral horses keeps us over busy.
Our country’s dying. But along with determined, clear headed, independent thinkers and doers somehow we will find a good way to resuscitate America and help her get back up and running as the Republic Ben Franklin left us.
In addition to maintaining Land and Water USA, we came up with an idea called, “A Walk in the Moc” (Moccasins). Because we’ve noticed a cavernous gap between rural and urban people, we thought if they’d trade places and walk in one another’s shoes for a while, this would bridge that gap. Maybe if one could experience what another is being un-fairly subjected to, a real empathy could grow into thank you’s, followed by kind acts of healing that could lead to reconnection.
Our children are all fine. Chuck’s daughter Lois still lives in MT with husband Brian Blasberg, and his son Duane (in Wyoming) grows around 800 acres of damn good alfalfa!
My son Philip and wife Beth live in Evans, CO. Daughter Geni, her husband Steve and their four daughters live in Denver where most go to college and elementary school. In March, I’ll become a great grandmother when Granddaughter Anita Hunt has a little girl. Son Jay is still a photojournalist for Denver’s Channel 7. Daughter Lea teaches Yoga and acting in Denver.
A side note, Sue Hollis and I promise we’ll have “The Magic Saddle” finished early 2013!
It’s the delightful little respites, like Randy Travis at Union Colony, Gilcrest Farm Sale, walks with Miss Aggie May, seeing wild turkeys, white tailed deer and great Bald Eagles in our woods, visiting with truly delightful people, all kinds of banquets, savoring the perfect steak Dr. Johnny Matsushima cooked for us, chiding the Godfrey Bottom Boys (Glenn Werning and Jerry Loeffler), re-sculpting the farm with Barbie Tractor and Clyde Case, watching Chuck laughing and working side by side with Philip and his grandson Charley, running away from grandchildren with water balloons, and listening to the hopes and dreams expressed by innocent youngsters that keeps us pushing on with faith and a few grins.
Now we’re prepping to hit the road again to Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo. Chuck’s never missed one NFR since going to Oklahoma in 1978! This will be uh, maybe my 17th?
May your Christmas year be graced with the love of God, Jesus Christ, family, and great friends; and if you’re really blessed, maybe add to that a perfect cat, great dog and good horse!
Yours truly,
Roni

This message was approved by Chuck Sylvester.